Dark Serenade
by a soul of thunder
Summary: In a last act before seeking the dawn, Darren is sent to Ottawa on a final mission to find and protect a woman from the Morrison Center, and little does he know this girl is more than just another psychic. But with his dark past can they be lifemates?
1. Chapter 1

_**Carpathian Mountains, 1453**_

A young Carpathian stood with his brother and cousin, he was the youngest of the trio, the two older males, crouched with ease their eyes fixed and waiting. They were as still as stone, but impatience bubbled in the youngest male, he was anxious for the fight, to hunt his first vampire. He longed to be a hunter like his brother, he knew it was his time to hunt the unded. He was staring to loose his emotions, they were dulling, colors were dimmed and no longer as vibrant as they had been. The darkness was emerging in him, he became more aware of it with each rising.

Ever since the invasion of the Turks and the destruction of many Carpathian children, women, and ancients had been devestating to their race. Their was a large fear in all thre men that their lifemates had unknowingly been taken from them in that attack. But the youngest male was still certain in his youth that he would find the woman meant to be his.

Next to him his brother stirred, the older males strange cerulean eyes turned to him and the younger male knew it was time. His muscles tensed and he was ready, he would feel the evil aura of the vampire creeping closer. Searching for weak prey to kill. It was so focused on finding a kill to feel the joy in bringing death to a helpless victim that it did not notice the hunters who lingered by in wait for him.

_Darren... when the vampire comes you will attack first. Get his attention to you... move fast. Ephriam and I shall dispose of him quickly before he can do more damage in this world. _Aramis, his elder brother said, voice even with a deadly calm. Darren nodded slowly and he shifted in waiting. And then in an instant his sprang, dissolving into mist and flying threw the air. He moved directly to the vampire, his first attack was swift and then he pulled back, drawing the attention the vampire. Blood red eyes looked to Darren. The young Carpathian grinned, he knew he had the vampires attention. The vampire lunged at him, and Darren easily sidestepped the vampire's movements. That was when Darren and his brethern realized that this vampire had turned very young. And most likely in response to the lost of his lifemate or the one he knew what to be his lifemate during the Turkish invasion. Such cases as these had been often after the loss of many of their people.

And within moments both Ephriam and Aramis had descended on the vampire and attacked him. Both without mercy and without reluctance. And soon the vampire was being held by Ephriam and Aramis ripped the heart from the vampire's chest. Darren was busy watching, learning. His mind connected with his brother to learn how he did every move, to know what he did and why. But one thing he did not notice was the sheer joy his brother felt bring justice in death to the vampire.

Aramis threw the heart to the ground before summoning up lightning to hit the heart and vampire's body burning them in flames. Darren walked to his brother and cousin feeling triumph ripple from him. "Come... there is much to do before the dawn." Aramis said lowly, and Darren nodded slowly and Ephriam crossed his arms and looked to his cousins. The younger Carpathian could feel the edge of needing to feed from both of his breathren. And so they went, heading down as fine mist to the village to find people to feed from.

It was hours before dawn and Darren had left the man he had fed from leaned up in the doorway of his home asleep. He would not remember giving blood to him. And the younger Carpathian went in search of his brother, he knew Ephriam had went to his home to seek refugue before the dawn. Darren moved quickly to where his brother was, anxious to get home, the dawn was close.

But the scene he stumbled upon, was not one Darren expected or prepared for. Turning to a field just outside the village where his brother had lured a woman too he saw a horrible scene. Aramis was crouched over the young woman's body, taking the girl's blood and fear curled in Darren. Knowing that his brother would soon kill the girl if he did not stop prompted Darren to intervene. He lunged at his brother and he knocked his bother away from the woman who had since passed out.

Aramis whipped around and looked to his younger brother and Darren gasped seeing the former cerulean eyes of his brother were gone and instead that he stared at him with dark ruby eyes. "No..." Darrn gasped under his breath. "Not you..." he said pain in his voice. Aramis stared at him as if conflicted on what to do. His red eyes vanished, blue to red, and back again. Darren knew his brother was fighting the darkness, but knew each second his brother was slipping from him.

"Darren..." Aramis said and looked to him, a moment of sanity. "Kill me... I need to to take my heart out leave my body for the dawn. "End this now." he said firmly before his eyes turned to red and back again.

"I can't." Darren protested against his brother, he couldn't stand loosing his brother to the darkness though he knew he couldn't stop it. Only a lifemate could, and Aramis had no more time to find her.

"You will... you must." he said angrily. "Do not let me become the vampire." Aramis said as she stalked closer to Darren and let his arms reach to the side. Leaving him vulnerable to Darren's attack. Looking into his brother's eyes he hesitated before thrusting his hand forward and into his chest. His hand gripped his brother heart. _Find her Darren... find your lifemate... promise me._ Aramis said his final words too his brother before Darren ripped the heart out and watched wide eyes as his brother fell to the ground. Hissing as the frst rays of dawn came up over the horizon. He retreated to the edge of the field, and as he reached the edge of the shadows of the trees he could see his brother's body smoking in the first early rays.

It was then Darren realized that he could no longer feel and looking down to his hand where the blood of his brother was still on his hand he saw no red... blood was there but there was no color. It had happened, emotion and color gone from his life. "Goodbye Aramis..." Darren said as the ground opened beneath him and he descended into the earth for resting sleep

* * *

_**Canada, 2007**_

Startling cerulean blue eyes, uncommon among Carpathian people; peer through the hazy mist of smoke, steam and every other fog that filled the area of the bar. Shoulder length obsidian black hair fell into his face as he turned his head to the left, to gaze at the door. As if waiting, but no one walked through the door. Darren sat comfortably in a corner booth, surrounded by shadows.

He had spent many a night in this dark, desolate, nearly empty place, drowning himself in the sorrows of the few patrons that frequented the building evening after evening. Some patrons were lost in self loathing, others in self pity, but all were there for a reason similar to his own. Loneliness and pain, and his life had been filled with both. Darren had not fed in many nights... little by little, he knew his control was slipping. If he fed now, he knew he would lose control and that would be the end of it. Had Aramis felt this way? On that night many years ago, did he know the end was near? Would someone have to kill him, show him the mercy he bestowed on his brother in killing him before he was completely gone. Or would he die painfully like that first vampire he had hunted?

Darren refused to go that way, refused to make his people hunt him down and finish him because he'd given into the darkness and killed an innocent. No. When he decided to end his time on earth, it would be willing. Darren vowed he would do what his brother had wanted to do, he would face the dawn unflinchingly and he would fade away from the world and cease to exist.

His time would end soon, maybe this morning, or the next, but he knew he couldn't let it wait much longer. The safety of these humans and the safety of his race depended on him having the strength to end it himself. After centuries alone he'd chosen honor over madness... over evil. The dawn over blood.

Mikhail, his prince had demanded but not ordered that he go to ground this day, while they found a woman eligible to be his lifemate, but the truth was...he couldn't wait anymore. He couldn't wait anymore. Though he would regret that he could not fulfill his promise to his brother Darren knew he would not be blessed with such a woman who could save him. The darkness he had been subjected to almost one thousand years ago was threatening, even now, to turn him. It had engulfed his soul, blinded his eyes, deafened his ears, muted his tongue and numbed his mind...

The world was dull and colorless, silent and suffocating, and he could no longer feel the awareness of the animals and humans around him. He was fading from existence. He was an ancient in every aspect. He was stronger than their prince, not that anyone truly knew that. He was older too, again, no one knew. If he turned, he would become a master vampire in a matter or weeks, if not months... his people couldn't afford that. He'd made his choice. Darren would have to face the dawn, he would save his people the trouble of putting an end to his existence. Darren now stood on the peak of one of the many hills enclosed in the Rockie Mountains, waiting for the first rays of sunlight. They were still hours away, but almost a thousand years had given him the patience to wait a little longer.

But just as he was set to face the dawn a voice sounded over the common mental path that Carpathian's used to communicate with each other. _Darren... there is a task for you. In Ottawa, the Morrison Foundation has moved in and is seeking a woman. Please find her and ensure some protection for her until we can detemine if she is lifemate to any of out males. _Came Mikhail's voice.

Darren sighed, he knew it was a distraction by the Prince to try and stall him from seeking the dawn. But the idea of a woman being hunted by the Marrison Foundation, that her fate would include being tortured and used to met their own sick and twisted ends when her existance could save a Carpathian male's soul. Darren decided that he owed it to his race to try and bring this woman to her lifemate and bring tham one step away from extinction.

_As you wish Mikhail_ Darren replied evenly before shooting up into the air. He would head to Ottawa the next night and begin his search for the psychic woman.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Canada, 2000 **_

"Jelly Bean, come and get you lunch!" came the call of Malissa O'Connor to her daughter who was busily throwing a ball for the family German shepard, Omega. The fifteen year old girl turned auburn hair blowing in the the light breeze and behind her and Omega trotted up with the ball in his mouth and then dropped the ball at the girl's feet. The girl's hand went to the top of the dog's head and gently scratched behind his ear and a contented look cross the dog's features.

"Coming." Juliet O'Connor called back to her mother and then looked down at her faithful canine companion and smiled. "Come on Omega." she commanded in a gentle voice and she walked across the yard to the porch of the small bungalow. Her most recent of homes. Ever since she was seven Juliet had known a life of constant moving, when she was young all she knew was that bad men were looking for them. Someone she had known as Morrison.

Now Juliet knew that what she had known as a little girl was only a tiny part of the equation. Before any of this had happened she never suspected that there was anything different about her family. Her mother knew things she was doing, but to Juliet as a child she believed all mothers knew what their children did or were going to do. Even if they were not close, even if they were kilometers apart. But when her mother had made them first move she started to realize that they were not normal. That other people could not do what she did.

Her mother knew things that happened or were going to happen. Juliet knew people's thoughts and feelings. Which over the years helped her and her mother when they were on the run. She had learned as she got older that her mother's estranged sister, Adele, had handed information over about the psychic abilities of her sister Malissa and her daughter Juliet. All the young girl knew about her aunt was that she blamed her sister for the failure of her marriage.

Malissa had told her older sister that her husband was cheating in her with a younger woman, her aunt had not wanted to believe it, and the next day she found what Malissa had said to be true. Ever since then Adele had broke contact from her sister and blamed her and her psychic powers for the destruction of her marriage. And somehow turning all information about her sister's special abilities and that of her daughter's as well.

As a result the Morrison Center had been pursuing them constantly, wanting to conduct some tests and ask some questions was what they had said. But Malissa was no fool, she saw what "tests" they wanted to preform on her and her daughter and ever since they had run. At first Malissa had thought that they would just find a new place and it would need. But eventually the Morrison Foundation would find them.

Over the eight years they had moved twelve times or was it thirteen? Juliet could hardly remember. About a year ago her mother bought Omega as a form of protection when the last time the men from the Morrison Center had come after them with weapons.

"It's your favorite." Malissa said to her daughter and a smile crossed Juliet's lips. Omega pranced around her expecting, he wanted food, he could smell the hot meal that sat on the table.

"Grilled cheese." Juliet said and pushed the snout of her dog away from the plate and she picked up half of the sandwich and bite into it. Malissa sat in the chair next to her daughter holding a glass of iced tea.

"Say what you need to say mom..." Juliet said and she looked to her mother. She knew the look could hear her mother trying to block her thoughts from her. But she already knew what it was, her mother had seen a vision of what was to come and it was not a good thing for them.

"Jelly Bean..." Malissa murmured lowly.

"Mom... we just moved here." Juliet said. In the middle of no where, east coast, in Cape Breton. A place they had never been and where no one knew them. How could they have been found so quickly. It had been barely weeks. Before they knew they would be have for at least a couple months before they would leave enough of a trace for them to follow and find them.

"Yes I know honey... but you know why we do it. It will be a few days before I can figure out where we go next and figure out the details. But it will be a good place, not like Yellowknife, I promise." Malissa said trying to lighten the mood, she knew all this moving and changing names and lives was hard on her daughter, but she did what she had too to keep her child safe from the hands of those monsters.

"Where too next mom?" Juliet asked as she took another bite of her grilled cheese. Omega was resting his head on her lap and she gently pet his head and fed him the crust of her sandwich to the German shepard.

"Maybe Quebec... could improve your french." Malissa said and Juliet managed a smile and picked up the other half of the grilled cheese and bit into it.

* * *

_**Two days later**_

Juliet rushed into her home, he heart beating rapidly in her chest. They had come to her school, why now? They were suppose to leave for their next home that night. Did they know that? How could they know... that is was bothered the young girl. She was lucky she spotted the men first, they had been waiting out the front doors of school when class got out. They had a photo and were posing as police officers, but she had heard their thoughts knew who really had sent them.

"Mom! Mom! We got to go now!" she cried into the house and she looked up. Something was not right, and she didn't need to have her mothers abilities to know that. Omega wasn't running to the door. And Juliet saw a large figure in the kitchen in the light she knew it was a man and recognized him from her school. He had been one of the one's waiting for her.

"Juliet run!" Came her mother voice from the deeper part of the house and then barking of her beloved dog. Juliet didn't need to be told twice. Her mother had taught her from the first time they moved that when she was told to run, that she would run before asking why.

The teenage girl turned on her heels and bolted from the house, her adrenaline was pumping through her veins and she heard the voice becoming more distant with every step she took. Then there was a loud bang and it took a moment for Juliet to realize that it was a gunshot. Then there was the loud whining cried of a dog, an injured dog. And then another bang and the sound ended. Then came the shrill cry of her mother and then another bang, and then there was no more.

* * *

_**Canada, 2007**_

Juliet sighed as pulled the apron from her waist, quickly taking the cash and change from the pockets. She had made a lot in tips. Which was good news for her, she had money to pay the rent now. She had been in Ottawa a couple weeks, her apartment was better than what she had had in her last location. People thought Toronto was a great city to live in, but really she found it to be rather awful.

People in Toronto were much rougher than those in other places, it was also tougher to find someone to forge papers for her. Here is Ottawa it was easy, all she had to do was pretend to still be nineteen and that she was a run away and youth services would help her "recreate" documentation. Yes she felt bad that she had to lie to so many times to so many people but ever since she was seven it had been part of her life.

"Jessie!" came the call of her boss. Jessie Murdock was her name this time, in this city. Brushing her long auburn hair back she breathed in deeply and nodded across the now empty dining room. She was working at a small bistro restaurant in the heart of downtown Ottawa, and it was not too far from her apartment. The perfect job for her.

"Yes, yes I know." Juliet called back and picked up the last tub of dishes she was helping to clean up. She went to the kitchen and dumped it on the counter and her boss walked up to her.

"Go home Jessie." she said and smiled at her fondly, Jessie looked to him. She really like this job, this home, this city. It was a place she wished she could stay, she could make this home. But she feared that one day she would be ripped away again. All because of the Morrison Center.

"I'm almost done James... I promise." she said and started to take the dishes out but James came and too the dish tub from her.

"No I insist you worked a double shift, you need some rest. You work too much." James said and then pushed her gently to the door. Juliet smiled and grabbed her jacket as she put the money she made that night into her pocket.

"Fine fine. I will see you all tomorrow!" she called and then head out the back door, the streets even at night had people wandering. Seeing the night lights from the Parliament building in the distant skyline she smiled and headed off to her apartment, content in that moment. That she could pretend that this was her life and she would be in this city forever.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Canada, 2007 **_

Juliet left the restaurant and she sighed, the night air was cool and she hugged herself, almost wishing she had paid attention to the weather report earlier that day. She would have liked to have a sweater with her at that moment. People filled the Byward Market, all part goers heading to some of the bars and clubs that dotted the market. Loud music played and Juliet quickly headed the opposite way, she liked the quiet, she wanted away from the busy streets. Turning down an alley way between buildings she cut over to the next street which was much quieter and less busy.

Breathing in the night air again she sighed happily. Right then and there in that moment Juliet had a moment of freedom. She briefly thought of her mother, Omega... even the father she never knew. A rustling movement from behind caught her attention, turning her head she looked and at first didn't see anything, and figured it must have been a squirrel or some other rodent. But a slight shift of shadow made her believe that it was not just some harmless woodland animal.

For a brief moment she thought she saw a person. And when Juliet saw that she started to move quicker. Anxious to get away. But as she looked back she didn't see the person again and she breathed a sigh of relief. It was paranoia. She knew it, every shadow every person that stared at her... Juliet would wonder if they were from the Morrison Foundation, if they were following her, trying to catch her. It made her almost wanted to laugh at herself for being so anxious.

But it was a shadow... no two shadows that moved ahead that made her heart skip a beat. These shadows were two men, walking towards her, the way they moved... that was made her worried. Instantly her mind reach out for thoughts, since they were the only ones close she could easily attain them. One man was repeating a prayer in his head, the other was thinking of her. That is when Juliet knew for sure that these men were after her.

The young woman moved quicker taking a few steps back and quickly moving to the nearest alley way, and as soon as she was out of the men's eyesight she ran. Feet pounded the ground as she ran, the alleyway did not lead to another street but to a backalleyway. And in her panic Juliet could hardly think straight of what to do. She had not been prepared for this, had not expected it so soon. She had been extra careful even going to the states for a week in between her moves to throw them off her trail. How had they found her this time?

Turning to the right she ran down the darker part of the alley hoping it would cover her escape. As she ran down the alley for found herself in the end looping back towards where the men had been. She gasped and whipped her head around trying to find another way to go.

"Mike! You lost the bitch?" came one male voice echoing down the alleyway behind her. Juliet bolted forward and she ran to the street. Looking left to right and then she ran again. Hearing the crashing of trash cans she glanced back and saw on the men running after her. Adrenaline pumped into her system and she ran faster.

Ducking into an new alleyway to hopefully bring her back to the busy streets where she could loose herself in the crowds. Buy herself some time to truly get away from them and leave. Though it broke her heart to think of having to leave Ottawa, the city was a beautiful place, one she could make a life for herself. Have dreams and a future there. But now they had ripped it away from her. Just like they had taken her childhood, mother and life.

But as she ducked into the alley Juliet run into something... or someone. The other man, they had anticipated her movements, the two other men came up behind her, and she gasped. They now had her completely boxed in.

Juliet was trapped.

* * *

Darren flew over the night sky in the body of an eagle, his unearthly blue eyes scanned the Byward Market finding the restaurant that he had learned that the woman he was searching for had taken a job at. It had been two nights since he arrived in the Canadian capital, he had spent the time meticulously searching every lead to find this Juliet O'Connor. Mikhail had uncovered file from the Morrison Center, all contained many names of women and men that they were looking into. Juliet was listed as a priority find, and orders were to apprehend her or kill her. Which explained why the Prince had been so desperate to have this woman found. He descended to the ground and shifted back to the form of a man, his ancient eyes scanned with precision, inside the restaurant he felt the presence of only one person. A male.

Not the woman, but maybe someone who could tell him where she went. Waiting outside the back door, Darren remained patient. And when the man exited he stepped out of the shadows.

"Good Evening... I am looking for Jessie Murdock, I am a friend." Darren said, his voice low and hypnotic, a compulsion weaved into his voice. The man had no chance to refused the Carpathian.

"Jessie left about fifteen minutes ago, she walks that way." James told the man and pointed the way that Juliet had walked off in. Darren turned following his gaze, he nodded and looked back to the man.

"Thank you my friend." Darren said and swooped away from him and quickly down the street. He moved with lethal precision, making no noise unless he wished it. Once he was alone again he turned to mist and moved quickly. He knew with every moment that this woman was one her own was another moment she was in danger and at risk of being found by the Morrison Center.

Darren moved quickly, materializing on the street his eyes searching. Ignoring the people he followed the most logical way for the woman to travel. But not seeing anything he turned to mist again and went to the next street over to search. He could sense people near by, he felt men's presence first. His mind followed after them and he could see the face of the girl in their minds and he surged forward.

Getting to the alleyway entrance, his thick frame filled it and his dark cerulean eyes stared at the three men they surrounded someone incredibly smaller than then. The petite body crumpled to the ground but the men didn't seem to care. Darren could see them attacking the woman, feet and arms flew at the small body huddled on the ground trying to protect itself.

"Like this now you bitch?" one man taunted as he kicked.

"Try and run? We know what you are." came another man's voice. And something in Darren snapped. The Carpathian male surged forward hands ripping the first two men away and threw them each into the wall of the building to his right. And before the third man could react to what was happening to his comrades Darren was one him, and bones were snapped and then man crumpled to the ground howling in pain.

Darren whipped around to look to the girl, looking to see what had been done to her. The sight was something he had not expected to see. He saw her hair first, not because of the long wavy tresses but because of the shocking auburn of her hair. The color spread out from the petite girl's body, her clothing, the color of her skin. A surge of joy went through him, joy for the first time in centuries, to see that color had finally been restored to him. But then his eyes saw the dark purple and blue of the bruises that marred her perfect skin.

Then anger flooded threw him. Anger to these men for darring to even think of hurting her. This young woman who was his lifemate, his everything in this world. One man got up and turned to Darren, at once knowing who and what he was dealing with. The man assumed he was dealing with was a vampire, ready to kill, a sinful creature he had to destroy.

But the creature he dealed with was more dangerous than anything he could assume, Darren was filled with rage. He would make these men pay, instantly he was on the man, and one man fell, dead, then the next and then finally the third. Darren however in his rage was careful to make it seem like a mugging gone wrong, terribly wrong. The marks he left were made to look like a human had done something. He even managed to make them appeared that they had been on drugs when the crime happened.

Returning to the young woman he bent over her. The girl had bruises spreading across her face, blood trickled from the corner of her mouth and down her chin. Her arms swept her up bring her up to his body, her head rolled backwards like a flower on a broken stem and Darren felt an unfamiliar pain rip through his chest.

"No... Juliet... please." Darren pleaded with the unconscious girl. But as a soft noise passed from her he sighed, she was not dead, she was hanging on. A hand went behind her head and cradled it against his shoulder. He vowed to heal her, and care for her as a lifemate should do.

His lifemate... she was real. She was there and he was touching her, holding her.

_Aramis... I found her. She's real and I will keep her with me... I will make her safe._ Darren said, feeling some relief. He had kept his promise to his brother, that he did not greet the dawn and loose such a priceless, precious gift. Gathering her into his arms he leapt and was in flight in moments, heading to the home he had taken residence in, across the Ottawa river and in the depths of the Gatineau Hills.


End file.
